A digital camera consists of an optical component, a digital sensor component, image processing circuitry, camera system circuitry, and a file storage component. Each of these component types have undergone, and continue to undergo, evolution. A problem that emerges is the issue of obsolescence. As each component in a camera system is updated, the overall system becomes obsolete, much like a computer. This constant updating and obsolescence forces users to upgrade to newer camera technology every few years.
The history of digital imaging is a story of filtration solutions to optical and digital aberrations. To solve these image aberrations, engineers have used integrated circuits and software techniques to address specific problems. For example, aliasing and moireé effects have been solved by applying anti-aliasing and low-pass filters that contain complex software algorithms. Further, the problem of optical aberrations, such as vignetting, pin cushioning and chromatic aberrations, are filtered by applying digital solutions. The need to improve these solutions forces the camera circuitry to be upgraded periodically, which creates the problem of obsolescence.
As camera elements have gotten smaller and more efficient, cameras have become ubiquitous. It is common to find camera components embedded in wireless phones and devices (PDAs), tablets and mobile computers. Not only are these optical systems able to process still digital images, but they are also able to capture, process, filter and manage digital video images. The problem remains, however, whether in digital cameras, digital video cameras or wireless devices with camera components, that the quality of the image produced is often poor. The smaller and cheaper the digital camera, digital video camera or digital optical device, the more problematic the image quality becomes.
So far, the idea of the digital camera has been limited to a device which contains integrated optical components, a sensor component, digital image signal processing circuitry, digital image filtration circuitry and digital file storage circuitry. However, each of these integrated components may be improved upon in a modular way and disintegrated in successor upgraded imaging devices.
It is possible to use digital imaging technologies to improve digital image problems such as optical and digital aberrations. Solomon (U.S. Pat. No. 7,612,805) has developed a digital imaging system for filtration to improve optical and digital aberrations created by lens and sensor constraints. Specific digital imaging filtration techniques are available as algorithms applied to specific imaging problems.
In addition to providing filtration, digital imaging provides the opportunity to manipulate the image to user preferences. For example, it is possible to manipulate depth of field in digital images by controlling lens aperture.
The digitalization of images further allows digital files to be transmitted on computer networks for storage. Shutterfly has developed a business model based on the storage and management of digital images on computer network servers and databases for photo sharing.
The dominant model for advanced digital photography is the digital single lens reflex (D-SLR) camera. In the main, most D-SLR cameras are organized to work within one paradigm. Film-based SLR cameras operate by using a lens apparatus connected to a camera body. When a shutter button is depressed, a microprocessor in the camera activates a shutter in the camera and an aperture in the lens to capture light onto a plane of film after a mirror flips up exposing the film. The silver-halide-based film is then chemically developed and images are preserved.
In a D-SLR, when the shutter button is depressed, a microprocessor (or SoC) in the camera activates a shutter in the camera and an aperture in the lens to capture light onto a digital sensor after a mirror flips up exposing the digital sensor. The sensor is typically either a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit that converts light to electrons. Once the sensor is exposed to light from the lens, camera circuitry moves the data from the sensor to a digital signal processor (DSP). The DSP performs a set of functions that filter the digital image file and transfers the converted data file to camera circuitry that stores and displays the corrected image file. A microprocessor (or SoC), which accesses a database in the camera, controls the image exposure settings, the internal camera circuitry and the mechanical operations of the shutter. In some cases, the camera microprocessor circuitry provides feedback to a microprocessor in the lens in order to measure and control the lens aperture and to synchronize exposure information between the lens aperture and the camera shutter. The user is able to manipulate the lens aperture, the camera shutter speed, the camera ISO speed, the data compression rate, and, in some cases, artificial light (such as a flash). The camera circuitry converts an analog image to digital format and converts the digital file to an analog image for presentation.
When any of these digital camera components can be improved, it is unfortunately necessary to upgrade the entire camera system. This process of upgrading a camera is costly and inefficient for the user. What is needed is a modular system that is able to upgrade different camera components independently.